1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a spraying device having controlled additive fluid feed, and more specifically to a spraying device having controlled additive fluid feed in which a primary fluid and an additive fluid can be sprayed in various spray patterns separately, or as a mixture having selectively variable concentrations of the additive fluid in the primary fluid.
2. Description of The Prior Art
Spraying devices are known in which an additive fluid, such as detergent, insecticide or fertilizer, are mixed with a primary fluid, such as water, as the primary fluid flows through a passageway or conduit in the spraying device. For example, the U.S. Pat. No. 3,447,753 to R. R. Proctor et al discloses a spray washer having a detergent feed in which a spraying device is in the form of a cap member which is attached to a jar-type reservoir for holding a detergent. The spraying device includes a rotatable control valve movable from an "OFF" position into a first operative position in which only water flows through the main passageway of the device. The valve also is rotatable into a position in which the valve diverts a portion of the water through an auxiliary passageway into the reservoir to agitate and stir the detergent therein, and to force the detergent out of the reservoir into the water flowing through the main passageway of the spraying device to a discharge nozzle. A similar spraying device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,770,205 to D. L. Proctor et al, in which a rotatable control valve has a third operative position in which the valve diverts a portion of the water through a second auxiliary passageway into the reservoir when pellets are being used in the reservoir.
The U.S. Pat. No. 2,795,460 to R. E. Bletcher et al, in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, discloses a detergent dispensing device in which the detergent is stored in a resilient bag or bladder in a jar-type reservoir. Water flowing in a main passageway of the device then produces a vaccum on the interior of the resilient bag, and this vacuum, in combination with atmospheric pressure in the reservoir, causes the detergent in the bag to be dispensed into the water flowing in the main passageway to a brush head nozzle.
In another form of a device in which the additive fluid is stored in a resilient bladder in a reservoir, a portion of the primary fluid, such as water, is diverted into the reservoir to exert external pressure on the bladder to cause the bladder to dispense the additive fluid into the primary fluid flowing through a main passageway of the device. This type of device is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,166,096 to H. Lang in which water flowing in a main pipe is diverted through an auxiliary line into an adjacent reservoir holding a resilient bladder which contains the additive fluid. When no additive fluid is desired to be added to the water flowing in the main pipe, a valve in the auxiliary line is closed.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,418,869 to J. W. Healy also discloses a spraying device in which, when a control valve is moved to an operative position to permit water flow through the device, a portion of the water is diverted into a reservoir to apply pressure on a bladder containing the additive fluid. The additive fluid then is dispensed from the bladder through one of a plurality of different size apertures in a rotatable ring to vary the flow of the additive fluid into the water flowing through the device to a discharge nozzle. The rotatable ring can also be used to interrupt the dispensing of the additive fluid from the bladder.
In another known device of the bladder type, as disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 2,891,732 to R. H. Orter et al, a combination shower head and soap sprayer includes a switch for interrupting water flow in the shower head and directing the water against a piston in a soap reservoir. Movement of the piston in the soap reservoir then forces soap from the reservoir through a separate nozzle thereof.
Heretofore, prior known spraying or dispensing devices as discussed above, have been limited as to their flexibility of use for multiple purposes. In this connection, a need exists for a spraying device of the additive fluid feed type in which the primary fluid or the additive fluid can be sprayed or dispensed in various spray patterns, either separately or as a mixture having selectively variable concentrations of the additive fluid in the primary fluid. A need also exists for a spraying device in which a spray nozzle can be automatically positioned closely adjacent an article being sprayed without having to position the spraying device, per se, closely adjacent the article, and in which the nozzle can readily be retracted to an inoperative position when the spraying operation is completed. Accordingly, a purpose of this invention is to provide such a spraying device which is of simple, rugged construction and inexpensive to manufacture.